


Denial

by brokenmimir



Series: Swan Queen Week Summer 2015 [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Swan Queen Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-09 15:56:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4355213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenmimir/pseuds/brokenmimir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Swan Queen Week Summer 2015, Prompt 5: Best Friend Romance; Sequel to Intervention<br/>After the unsuccessful intervention about her relationship with Regina, Emma goes to her home for a candlelit dinner just for them.  Maybe they had a point after all...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Denial

Emma frowned as she stood outside of Regina’s mansion, a bottle of red wine in hand. At first she’d grabbed a box of wine, but after some consideration she’d put it back on the shelf and bought the most expensive bottle in the store. The grocery hadn’t had a broad selection, but she hoped it would be nice enough to please Regina.

She still had mixed feelings from the intervention her parents had sprung on her. On the one hand, the idea that she and Regina were dating was completely ridiculous. She would’ve noticed, of course. On the other hand, she didn’t realize until it was posed to her how much she wouldn't have been bothered if Regina was interested.

It had all started after Cora died. Emma had gone out of her way to track the grieving Regina down, even knowing how dangerous it was. The woman had in fact spewed some very convincing death threats, and she’d actually lucked out when her heart hadn’t been successfully removed, just like it hadn’t been for Cora. Instead of trying to find another way to kill her though, the failure had caused the former Evil Queen to collapse into tears.

Progress had been slow after that, but they’d begun to talk, and when Regina had suggested dinner together so that the three of them, Henry included, could spend time as a family she hadn’t objected. She’d been a little nervous about possible poison, but the food had been _so good_ that she’d ended up having thirds. When the former mayor had snarked about it, instead of being offended she’d joked right back, and somehow been invited back to dinner the next night.

It had taken months, but Regina’s home had become a refuge from the insanity of the town and her suddenly having parents. Overbearing, intervention having parents. When Henry had moved back home it had finally deflated the remaining tension between the two women, and they’d become best friends.

Over the past few weeks Regina had even begun having dinners with Emma when Henry was out with his friends. Emma hadn’t even thought about the change, simply happy to spend time with Regina (and her delicious cooking). From her phone call Emma guessed that night would be another girl’s night, as Henry was visiting Paige.

Regina opened the door when Emma finally knocked, and her dress caused Emma to almost swallow her tongue. It was a tight, tiny black number, the sort that most women would’ve worn on a fancy date, although given Regina’s usual outfits it probably didn’t mean anything. The former queen likely wore similar around the house to clean.

“Hey, wow, you look amazing,” Emma said.

Regina smiled at her, lighting up her face. “Thank you, dear. You look... like you usually do. Is it too much to ask that you not wear that red abomination of a jacket at least once?”  
  
“Hey, go with what works,” Emma joked. “I brought wine.”  
  
“And not in a box either,” Regina praised, eyeing the label. “Not a bad vintage.”  
  
“Thanks,” Emma said, rolling her eyes. “I can do some things right, you know. I wasn’t going to bring you box wine.”

At Regina’s doubtful look Emma blushed. “Okay, I might’ve thought about it. A little. I knew not to, though.”

“Why don’t you go sit down, and I’ll get the food,” Regina said. “It should be ready in just a moment.”

Emma tried to keep her eyes away from Regina’s retreating backside, but when her efforts failed she consoled herself that it was normal for best friends to be concerned with how their friend’s dresses looked from behind. It was probably in the friend charter somewhere, right next to breast ogling and sexual dreams as totally normal things to happen with your friends. She was just glad she hadn’t experienced any of that with Mary Margaret before the curse broke.

The dining room was setup as it usually was when Henry couldn’t make it. Candles were arranged between where they would sit, providing a warm glow that was the only light in the room. Gentle music played from some hidden speaker, providing the perfect ambiance for a friendly dinner. Nothing strange at all.  
  
“Sit down, dear,” Regina said as she carried the lasagna in. “Try to eat at least a few vegetables this time, will you?”  
  
“No promises,” Emma grinned.

They sat across from each other, and as had become habit Regina’s feet, no longer encased in her painfully high heels, found their way over to hers. Emma smiled, enjoying the friendly foot play as they talked about their day. It was so wonderfully domestic, everything she’d ever dreamed of but never had, and as they laughed and joked Emma was able to really relax for the first time since the intervention.

“Hey, wanna hear something funny?” Emma asked.

“Oh?” Regina replied, leaning forward and taking Emma’s hand in her own.

Emma’s train of thought was derailed for a moment as she stared down the former queen’s cleavage. “My parents tried to give me an intervention.”

“What for?” Regina asked. “Have you been eating more of those bear claws when I’m not around?”

“That’s what I thought it was about!” Emma said. “I mean, um, no. I haven’t eaten them. Much.”

Regina shook her head fondly. “What was it about then?”

“They, um, they thought we were dating?” Emma offered.

Regina became very still. “Oh?”  
  
“Yeah, they tried to convince me that since you were evil once and everything I shouldn’t date you,” Emma said. “I mean, it didn’t matter anyway. Since we aren’t dating. I mean... I would’ve noticed, right?”

Regina looked at her thoughtfully for a long moment, her thumb gently caressing the back of Emma’s hand. “How much have you dated, dear?”  
  
“Well... not much,” Emma said. “I’ve never really been very social. I was with Neal, but I wouldn’t really say we dated, dated. Just, you know, wandered around conning people.”  
  
“Lovely,” Regina said, rolling her eyes. “So you’ve never really dated anyone, then.”  
  
“Not really,” Emma said. “I’ve been on some dates, and a few one night stands and stuff. You know, somebody asks me out, and if I think they’re cute or whatever we’d go on a date. Or if they were hot enough I’d go up to them and ask. They never really stuck around after the first one.”

“Hmm,” Regina said. “I supposed you’re used to people being very obvious about it, then.”  
  
“I guess,” Emma said. “I mean... isn’t that what happens? You know, someone asks you out on a date? So you, um, date?”  
  
“Sometimes,” Regina said, her voice taking on an amused tone. “Sometimes people imply more than speak about such things, however. They simply begin seeing one another and never really discuss it. It’s all in the social cues.”  
  
“Huh,” Emma said. “Weird.”  
  
Regina chuckled. “Maybe. I supposed sometimes, if one’s partner is dense, someone has to be obvious, however.”  
  
Emma glared at her suspiciously. “I feel like I was just insulted.”  
  
“Perhaps,” Regina said. “Now, I’ll be right back with dessert.”  
  
“I can’t wait,” Emma said. “What is it?”  
  
“It’s a surprise, apparently,” Regina smirked. “I think you’ll like it though.”

It wasn’t until Regina returned with dessert, which consisted of no clothing but plenty of chocolate and whipped cream that Emma finally reconsidered her earlier position on whether or not she was dating Regina.

She’d never been so happy to be wrong about something.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I liked the previous prompt, and after some positive reactions to my last story I decided to write a sequel to it. So here we have today’s prompt, Best Friend Romance. Specifically, Emma being very slow to realize she was in one, although she was game once she finally caught on.


End file.
